


The Making of Both Parties

by lost_in_a_good_book



Category: HEYER Georgette - Works, Sylvester or the Wicked Uncle - Georgette Heyer
Genre: F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, New Year's Resolutions 2018 (nyr2018), Regency RomCom, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 06:24:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13229892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_in_a_good_book/pseuds/lost_in_a_good_book
Summary: After the first, accidental proposal, Sylvester and Phoebe’s fight continues uninterrupted, and the situation goes from worse to disastrous. Some unlikely Cupids intervene. But can Phoebe be convinced that Sylvester truly loves her?





	The Making of Both Parties

**Author's Note:**

  * For [categranger](https://archiveofourown.org/users/categranger/gifts).



> A Treat for New Year's Resolutions 2018.

_Sylvester had never before tried to make love to a lady seething with rage and contempt. His face pale, he attempted, “If it sounded to you as though I meant to insult you, believe that it was not so! What I said to you before…. I wanted never to see you again after that night at the Castlereaghs’ – I thought so, but it wasn’t so, because when I did see you again – I was overjoyed.”_

_“Were you indeed?” said Phoebe. “But you soon recovered, didn’t you?”_

_Nettled, he retorted, “No, I only tried to. Stop ripping at me, you little shrew!” ___

  

“Shrew?” Phoebe echoed. “Oh, you suppose I am in need of taming?” 

“Perhaps you are, if this is how you treat a proposal of marriage!” Sylvester rejoined. 

“How should I treat a proposal made unintentionally and immediately taken back?” Phoebe sank into an exaggerated curtsy, one hand to her breast, crying, “Oh, la, sir, I am most tremendous flattered your Grace is so overcome that you asked me to marry you, when you never meant to! In spite of my ill-bred ways!” 

“Spare me the Covent Garden histrionics – I never said that you were ill-bred!” 

“You most certainly implied it: ‘The crazy things you do!’ ‘Not the wife that would suit me!’ I wonder that you are accounted such a noted flirt, if this is how you make love!” 

“I have been told since my first Season that I make love quite charmingly, thank you!” 

“I dare say you have, since I hear that you have practiced with any number of young ladies! And you tried to practice _upon_ me!” 

__“I? Upon you?" he repeated. "How?”_ _

“Did you not, after Tom told you I ran away to avoid receiving your offer, _then_ decide to flatter me with your attentions? Wanting only to make me sorry that I had rejected you?” 

__Sylvester jumped from roasting pan to fire as he rashly confessed, “I own I was angry, and that I had such a deplorable idea. But I soon abandoned it, I assure you!”_ _

__“I do not believe you!” Phoebe proclaimed._ _

__“You doubt me? I give you my word as a gentleman!”_ _

“A gentleman? Please excuse me, for I am still somewhat countrified, my lord Duke; but in London, do gentlemen pay their attentions to young ladies intending only to deceive them? And do _gentlemen_ give ladies a dressing-down in the middle of a ballroom floor, no matter how much a lady may have offended them?” 

“I regret – deeply – my behaviour that night; it was unworthy of me! But – and pray forgive _my_ ignorance, Miss Marlow – in the country, is it acceptable for young ladies to leave their relations behind and travel accompanied only by a young man? Or for _ladies_ to put about slanderous tales in an absurd novel? I was mistaken when I spoke before: ‘hoydenish’ is much too mild an epithet for behaviour such as yours!” 

__This last thrust was too much for Phoebe to bear, and to her dismay, she felt her eyes fill with tears. For a moment she could only stare through them at Sylvester, whose face had gone even whiter, though with what emotion she could not guess. A small sob escaped her and she fled from him, making for the stairs to the guest rooms above._ _

__Sylvester ran after her and blocked the way, crying out, “No – Phoebe, I did not mean… please…!” Hastily, she turned from him and dashed outside. Sylvester followed but stopped short in the doorway, aghast that they might be seen quarrelling in such a public place._ _

  

__The inn’s yard bustled with travellers, horses, handlers, and carriages. Blind to all around her, Phoebe might have been struck by the post chaise just then racing into the yard, had Tom not seen it and run to pull her away. “Hi – mind your manners!” he exclaimed to the coachman, who was relieving his shock by swearing warmly. “A good thing young Edmund ain’t near or he’d acquire some prime new words,” Tom muttered as he turned back to Phoebe._ _

__The face raised to his was more distressed than he’d ever seen it. Silently, he swore at himself for leaving her alone with Salford; after all their skirmishes in the last week, it was only a question of which of them was the slow match and which the powder keg primed to go off. Gingerly, he asked, “Phoebe? What is it?”_ _

__Phoebe tried to speak but instead emitted another sob. Tom pulled her into a brotherly embrace with one arm and let her cry into his waistcoat while he patted his pockets in search of a handkerchief. He felt a square of fine linen placed in his hand, and he hurriedly passed it to Phoebe. When he glanced up to thank the donor, he found Sylvester, unaccountably looking daggers at him._ _

Tom frowned in return and demanded, “What the devil did you say to her _this_ time, Salford?” 

__Sylvester’s nostrils flared but he did not answer the question. Instead, he said tightly, “You have my gratitude for keeping Miss Marlow safe, but will you please remove your hands from her person?”_ _

__Tom felt Phoebe clutch his waistcoat. He gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze as he answered coolly, “She’ll mend quicker if I hold her. What did you do to overset her so, my lord Duke?”_ _

__“It would be indelicate of me to disclose what happened between us! Now, release Miss Marlow so I may speak with her.”_ _

__“I’ve a notion you’ve done quite enough ‘speaking’ with her for one morning. Best let her be for a while.”_ _

__“That is for her to say! And I do not need advice from someone barely breeched!”_ _

__“For I’ve only known Phoebe since we was both in short coats!” Tom replied sarcastically. “But if you wish to keep making a mull of it, my lord Duke, it’s not my place to stop you.”_ _

__“Will you both stop calling me that?! And of what, pray, am I making a mull?”_ _

__“Of setting right whatever’s gone so wrong between the pair of you!” Looking down at Phoebe, Tom added gently, “That goes for you as well, pea-goose.”_ _

__Phoebe said damply through Sylvester’s handkerchief, “We are not a p-pair!”_ _

__“She – Miss Marlow – will not permit me to set things right!” Sylvester accused._ _

__Provoked, Phoebe shook off Tom’s arm and turned on Sylvester so sharply that he stepped back a pace. She cried, “By mocking and insulting me? A pretty notion you have of making matters right, my lord Duke!”_ _

__“How did I mock you when I –?” He broke off, then resumed in a sharp near-whisper, “I regret that you felt my offer to be an insult, though I grant you, I may not have worded it elegantly. But while I may be ‘accounted a noted flirt,’ as you put it, this was my first proposal of marriage!”_ _

__In the same voice, Phoebe returned, “If this is how you courted your flirts, I must wonder if any of those ladies encouraged a proposal, for who would wish to be leg-shackled to you?”_ _

“I did not wish to be leg-sha… married to any of them!" But despite himself, Sylvester smiled as he added, "And _wherever_ did you acquire that phrase?” 

“That is of no consequence! What _is,_ is that you did not wish to marry any of them any more than you truly want to marry _me!”_

__Sylvester took a step closer to her as he insisted, “But I do want it! Phoebe, I – I love you!”_ _

__Lady Marlow had made certain that her stepdaughter, once of marriageable age, was prepared for every possibility. Thus Phoebe made a slight curtsy as she recited, “You are very obliging, but I cannot return your affection, my lord D-“_ _

__“Oh, yes you can, my girl!” Tom interrupted in loud exasperation, making both Phoebe and Sylvester start. “And if you’d stop poking at each other for long enough to draw breath, perhaps you could admit to that, you little gudgeon!”_ _

__Phoebe turned crimson at his observation; but she persevered, “He is saying these things only because I wounded his pride, and he will not let that affront pass. I cannot think him sincere!”_ _

“What _would_ convince you of my sincerity, Miss Marlow?” Sylvester enquired coldly, once again on his high ropes. 

“Oh, for God’s sake, Duke!” Tom groaned. “What happened to ‘we Raynes can throw our hearts over _anything’?”_

__The head of the Rayne family fixed Tom with an icy stare; but after a moment, to everyone’s surprise, including his own, Sylvester gave a small chuckle. He admitted wryly, “You have me there, Thomas! Well, what would you suggest I try?”_ _

__While Tom thought, Sylvester and Phoebe both were careful to watch him and ignore the other. After a few moments, Tom grinned. Then he met Sylvester’s gaze and nodded significantly towards the ground at Phoebe’s feet._ _

__Sylvester looked at him without understanding at first. But abruptly, he scowled, seized Tom’s arm, and marched his young friend to a corner of the yard._ _

  

__Phoebe stared after them, wondering greatly that Tom would presume to try Sylvester’s tolerance so. A tug on her skirt roused her from her thoughts. Looking down, she found a worried Edmund._ _

__“Is Uncle Vester vexed again, Phoebe?” the boy asked._ _

__“Your uncle is just fatigued from our long travels, that’s all, my dear!” she replied, attempting a smile._ _

“I don’t _like_ when he frowns. He’s frightful!” 

__Phoebe pressed her lips together to keep from laughing, or perhaps crying; she could not be sure which. She managed to say steadily, “He doesn’t mean to frighten you, I’m sure.” Forcing cheerfulness, she went on, “Now, what did you go to speak to Keighley about? Was it the horses for the rest of our journey?” – which turned young Master Rayne to one of his favourite topics._ _

 

Meanwhile, Sylvester was saying fiercely to Tom, “I cannot propose to her in _public!”_

__“You hadn’t any difficulty in reducing her to tears at a ball in front of half the ton!” Tom replied pointedly, all patience gone._ _

__“That was not my intention!”_ _

“It’s not whatever you meant to do that matters, it’s what you _did._ You near destroyed her, and not just in the eyes of society! I saw her the next morning and it took me half an hour of coaxing for her to stop shaking!” 

__“Good God, Thomas, surely it wasn’t as bad as all that?” Sylvester asked, attempting a lighter tone._ _

__“Indeed it was, my lord Duke!” Tom asserted. “And what made it so bad was that you had to have guessed how she’d take it!”_ _

__“How could I have –?” Sylvester stopped. He abruptly looked away and his face grew flushed. After a few moments, he said, low, “Tell me then, how could proposing to Miss Marlow in public prove anything to her, or make amends? When the last time I spoke with her in public, I injured her so greatly?”_ _

“It would prove you can let go your stiff-necked pride when someone means enough to you!” Seeing the infamous eyebrows lower, Tom continued, in the voice he used with skittish horses, “Salford, can you imagine Phoebe being happy if she had to be utterly proper and prim at all times? And would you want _your_ reins held forever by some high-handed stickler?” 

  

__Keighley had come over from the stables to stand near them, concerned after he saw Sylvester’s mortified flush. He now decided to add his tuppence. Hoping that this would not put a sudden end to his long employment, he began carefully, “Your Grace….”_ _

“What _is_ it, Keighley?” Sylvester snapped. But he quickly added, contrite, “John, I am sorry. I should not take out my bad humours on you.” He smiled, faintly. “Were you about to advise me as well?” 

__“He couldn’t steer you to worse than you’ve done already!” Tom muttered._ _

__Keighley suppressed a grin and resumed, “Well, sir, I chose this inn for you because it was private-like. I haven’t seen anyone here who would know you, or Miss Marlow. So you might consider as if it was, say, one of those public gardens. Lots of folks about, but not minding your business.” He nodded past Sylvester to the rest of the inn yard._ _

__His employer looked over his shoulder and saw that, indeed, most of the people in the yard were going about their own affairs. Sylvester turned back to his counsellors and said softly, “I would have thought that something less, ah, dramatic would suffice. But perhaps I should not rely solely on my judgment in this matter!”_ _

  

__Whilst the men were conferring, Phoebe had slowly retreated almost to the door of the inn while occupying Edmund with chatter. Sylvester now called sharply after them, “Edmund, bring Miss Marlow to me!” At a meaningful cough from Thomas, he added hastily and more politely, “Miss Marlow, will you grant me the opportunity to speak with you for a few moments?”_ _

__Phoebe opened her mouth to refuse, but Edmund held out his hand. His pleading look made her relent and she let him lead her to Sylvester._ _

__Before releasing Phoebe, Edmund demanded of his uncle, “You’re not going to clapperclaw her again, are you? I don’t want you to!”_ _

__Half under his breath, Sylvester observed, “John, we must have a conversation soon about Master Edmund’s vocabulary! Thomas, please stop laughing!” Aloud, he answered, bending down to Edmund, “No, I am not going to abuse her! Word of a Rayne!"_ _

__“Now, nephew," he continued, "I have told you that we Raynes do not make a show of ourselves in public, have I not?” Edmund nodded solemnly. “But sometimes,” Sylvester explained, “something is so very important that it has to be done for the world to see, so that everyone will know that it is genuine. And that is why I am about to do what I am.” He stood upright and guided the boy to Tom and Keighley as he added softly, “Which I sincerely hope I will not have cause to regret!”_ _

__He turned back to Phoebe and tugged at his neckcloth before sinking onto one knee._ _

__Phoebe gasped and hurriedly said, “Oh, you should not – “; she stopped as Sylvester gently took one of her hands in his._ _

__“Yes, I should,” he said quietly. “I behaved unpardonably towards you in public on another occasion, so I agree it is only fitting that I declare myself in public as well.” He managed a smile. “If my hat were not back in the parlour, I would be coming to you with it in hand!” But Phoebe did not smile in return, and Sylvester took a deep, nervous breath._ _

__“Before I met you,” he resumed, “I thought I knew exactly what I wanted in a wife. Since meeting you, my mind has utterly changed."_ _

__“Yes, I find you spontaneous to a fault!” – Phoebe frowned; he quickly proceeded, “Yet, you do not avoid the consequences, even when they thrust unwanted responsibilities upon you.” – Phoebe’s countenance lightened somewhat. "You have an excessively keen eye for human foibles and are quite free with your opinions,” – Phoebe frowned again, more deeply – “but whenever you are not present and something absurd happens, I find myself looking for you to share the jest!” – Phoebe looked away from him, but was frowning a little less._ _

He pressed her hand more firmly, and went on, “But most of all, you are essentially _kind._ You care about others, without regard to their station, or even to whether they care about you in return.” – Phoebe looked at the ground and blushed faintly. “Now that I know you,” Sylvester continued, “all other young ladies seem unbearably insipid by comparison. You have done something for me that I did not think possible: you have restored joy to my life!” – Phoebe looked up sharply and met his eyes. 

Startled, Sylvester took another calming breath before plunging ahead. “I am certain you see much to _improve_ about me” – Phoebe’s eyes may have twinkled – “and when I consider the matter thoroughly, I am not precisely sure _why_ you would agree to become my wife!” – Phoebe bit her lip but one dimple still appeared. “Nonetheless,” he said in a voice suddenly gone unsteady, “I love and – and admire you, Phoebe, and I ask this as humbly as I can: Will you do me the very great honour of marrying me?” After which, he looked at her with concern, for she had turned quite pale. 

__Phoebe’s lips were parted, but no words escaped them. For several long moments, she looked searchingly at Sylvester’s face while her fingers were curled tight between his hands. Then her hand relaxed as she released her breath. “Yes,” she said, at first so softly that Sylvester had to strain to hear her. Then more confidently, she went on, “Yes – I will marry you!” After which utterance, she gave Sylvester a beaming smile._ _

__He squeezed her hand and kissed it, before he stood and murmured, “I suspect that might be the only time I will ever see you at a complete loss for words, Sparrow!” He was rewarded with her giggle. Before he could embrace her, though, their party surrounded them._ _

__During all the ensuing felicitations, shaking of hands, and kissing of cheeks, Sylvester kept his prize in mind. Extricating Phoebe’s skirt from Edmund’s embrace, he said, quite politely but nonetheless firmly, “Now, if you will excuse us, gentlemen….” He drew Phoebe’s arm through his own and led her towards the inn’s doorway._ _

  

__“Where are you taking me?” Phoebe asked, half distracted and half suspicious._ _

__“Back into the parlour, of course, my love.”_ _

__“Oh,” was all she could find to say._ _

__“Aren’t you going to ask me why? It is unlike you not to question my motives,” he teased gently._ _

__“Oh!” she exclaimed, mildly piqued. “Very well! Why?”_ _

“Because – I hope you do not mind – it is traditional to celebrate one’s engagement by kissing one’s intended.” As he released her arm to close the parlour door behind them, he added, “And I really must draw the line at doing _that_ in public!” 

__He turned back and found her blushing. Sylvester smiled lovingly at her and took her hands, then exclaimed, “You are chilled, my dear! Come to the fire!”_ _

__Phoebe was indeed shivering a little, though she was not certain if that was _entirely_ due to having been outdoors for so long. As she held out her hands to the blaze, she felt Sylvester move behind her, very close. He placed his hands gently on her shoulders and held them there, helping to restore some warmth to her. After a minute or two, she gave a happy sigh. She heard Sylvester chuckle, before he turned her to face him._ _

__“Now, I hope this is not too conventional for you, darling,” he said, his voice husky, “but I would like that kiss.” Suddenly finding it difficult to breathe, let alone speak, Phoebe could only nod._ _

  

__Later, after an informal meal with their party, during which both the prospective groom and bride showed great forbearance throughout toasts and teasing, they found themselves alone again._ _

__They sat slightly apart from each other on the parlour's sofa, both a little constrained after their tumultuous day. In silence, they watched the fire for a while, until Sylvester took Phoebe’s hand and began to play with her fingers, coaxing a giggle from her when he gently tickled her palm._ _

__“Tell me, my precious…?” he began, his voice full of affection._ _

__“Mmm…?” Phoebe enquired contentedly._ _

__“What was it that finally persuaded you that I was sincere?” When she did not reply, he prompted, “The elegance of how I knelt? The polish of my address?"_ _

__“The pallor of your complexion, perhaps?”_ _

“Little wretch! _Your_ complexion kept changing from white to pink and back again, until I did not know what to think! But truly, what did convince you? I wish to make sure that whatever it was, I do it regularly in future, so that you remain satisfied!” 

Phoebe smiled and retrieved her hand, to begin counting off the reasons. “Well: One, you were making me your offer in front of witnesses. As I have cause to know, you cannot abide – nor hide your feelings about! – any public embarrassment, so you must _not_ have been ashamed of your proposal to me in the least. If you hadn’t really meant it, I think that must have showed.” 

“Two,” she went on, “you described some of my qualities that you seemed to approve of, rather than just listing my faults as usual. Had you still been bent on revenge, you probably couldn’t have found _anything_ you liked about me.” Sylvester chuckled and acknowledged her point with a nod. 

__“And three” – here Phoebe’s eyes began to sparkle – “you were kneeling in an inn yard.”_ _

__“You already mentioned the public setting! What does it signify that it was an inn yard?” Sylvester asked._ _

__“The effect it had on your trousers!”_ _

__Sylvester looked down at the garment in question and saw the large muddy stain on one knee. Phoebe giggled at his frown._ _

“And you’ve only just noticed it!” she added. When Sylvester turned his frown on her, she put her hand back into his and said teasingly, “Don’t you see, dearest? You must _truly_ love me if you can forget your appearance for so long!” 

“You -!” Sylvester exclaimed. “You are – _impossible!”_ But he raised her hand to his lips, saying, “And I – am an impossibly lucky man!” Then he smiled, in a way that Phoebe found most disconcerting, as he took her face between his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. His lips moved quite gently at first. But after a while, he drew her even closer and his mouth began exploring hers in headily unexpected ways. 

__When they left off, her eyes were glowing, but she struggled to find words to tell him how she felt._ _

__Sylvester watched with a look of slightly devilish amusement as a series of confused and frustrated expressions crossed her face. He finally remarked, “If I had thought becoming engaged would continually deprive you of speech, I would have offered for you much sooner, my love!”_ _

__Before she could retort, he wisely and promptly returned to kissing her. And he kept doing so until she decided that speech might be much less necessary, if this was what she could expect once married to Sylvester._ _

  

  

**Author's Note:**

> • The prompt was “While I do ship Phoebe/Sylvester, I found the proposal, journey, and second proposal unsatisfying. Perhaps an AU where Tom doesn’t walk in on them during the first proposal, and during the rest of the uninterrupted fight Phoebe realises that Sylvester actually loves her?”
> 
> • The opening lines in italics are slightly adapted from Heyer’s chapter 26. A few points later on are borrowed and paraphrased from her second proposal/fight scene in chapter 27.
> 
> • I’m still fairly new at this, so helpful feedback is always welcome!


End file.
